


like the starlight

by theafterimages



Series: frat au [26]
Category: VIXX
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-04-02
Updated: 2015-04-02
Packaged: 2018-03-20 23:13:53
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 659
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3668757
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/theafterimages/pseuds/theafterimages
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>An unexpected run-in at the school bookstore.</p>
            </blockquote>





	like the starlight

**Author's Note:**

> Originally posted [here](http://eveninadream.livejournal.com/11522.html#cutid1). Set in August 2013.

The campus bookstore is full of students making last-minute purchases before the fall semester officially starts. Hongbin had been proud of himself for not being one of them last year by following his sisters’ advice and ordering his books online for significantly cheaper.

This year, though, he’s not so lucky. Hongbin stares grimly at the pile of plastic-wrapped photography textbooks in front of him, his frown deepening as he takes yet another look at the price sticker on the shelf. 

Once he finally picks out a copy he exits the aisle quickly, only to run into Taekwoon—almost literally—at the end of the aisle.

Had this been last fall, Hongbin would have rambled nervously and made a quick exit. But a lot has changed in the last year, so Hongbin is perfectly relaxed as he and Taekwoon trade smiles. “You need a book, too?” Hongbin asks.

“Hakyeon,” Taekwoon says.

“Oh, right.” Hongbin laughs quickly. He’d gone to Taekwoon’s graduation, of course, but there’s something about Cartwright that makes it hard to believe anything about it will ever change, especially when it comes to Kappa Tau. 

“You, too?” Taekwoon asks, nodding to his book.

“Yeah,” Hongbin says with a grimace. “I was hoping it wouldn’t be this expensive, but…”

“Did you look online?” Taekwoon asks.

“Can’t, it’s a brand new edition.” Taekwoon doesn’t say anything to that, just looks sympathetic, and Hongbin smiles a little. “But I found the rest of them online.”

“At least it’s only one,” Taekwoon says with a small nod.

“Yeah, exactly.”

Taekwoon has to get Hakyeon’s book to him, so after another minute or so of conversation he heads toward the registers. Hongbin dawdles, looking at a few of the books for other photography courses and checking the new Cartwright merchandise to see if there’s anything he could buy for his sisters. But it’s not like adding to his bill would help anything, so finally he joins the long line of students.

There are only two cash registers open, so he texts Chanshik to pass them time while he’s stuck waiting. When it’s finally his turn he digs out his ID card and credit card. At least next semester he should be able to buy discounted books online again, he assures himself. Assuming his professors get their book lists out on time. 

The clerk looks over his student ID card as normal, but pauses when she sees the credit card, her brow furrowing. “Your order was already paid for,” she says, pushing the bag toward him.

For a second Hongbin just gapes at her, sure that he’s hallucinating or hadn’t heard her right or _something_ , because the alternative doesn’t make any sense. “They’re—what?”

“Someone else paid for them,” she says, a bit impatiently this time, looking past him to the line of students waiting behind him. 

But Hongbin can’t let this go. “By who?”

“They asked me not to say. Is there anything else?”

Hongbin shakes his head and gets out of the way, taking his heavy bag of books with him. Now that the shock is fading, it’s becoming obvious that there’s only one person it could have been.

Taekwoon’s not even in sight when he bursts out of the bookstore, so Hongbin pulls out his phone and types up a quick text. _u didn’t have to do that!! ill pay u back!!!!_

_dont worry about it_ , Taekwoon sends back a minute later. 

Hongbin wants to protest, but he’s sure anything he says will be met with the same reply, either by text or in person. His hand’s shaking a little as he puts his phone away again. And to think he’d been apprehensive when Hakyeon had first told him who his big was.

One day, he thinks to himself, his grip tight on his books as he sets off to his dorm, he hopes he’ll be half as good to whomever his little will be as Taekwoon has been to him.


End file.
